New Delhi, June 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, on Saturday relived his cadet days at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, as he returned to his alma mater to review the passing out parade.
On the last day of his four-day visit, Sri Lankan Army chief, who was commissioned in December 1990 as part of the 87th Course, witnessed the commissioning of a new generation of officers, including foreign cadets from Sri Lanka.
Addressing the cadets, Lt Gen Rodrigo expressed deep honour in reviewing the Passing Out Parade at IMA, calling it a profoundly emotional homecoming.
Reflecting on his own journey, he reminded the cadets that commissioning into the armed forces is not just about earning a rank, but embracing a lifelong way of service, responsibility, and leadership.
He urged the cadets to wear the uniform with pride and purpose, recognising them as part of an unbroken chain of patriots.
Lt Gen Rodrigo lauded award winners and acknowledged foreign cadets as ambassadors of IMA’s ethos, reinforcing that its values transcend borders. He also called upon the young officers to lead with wisdom, uphold justice, and contribute fearlessly to the legacy of IMA, invoking Field Marshal Manekshaw’s enduring words: “Be truthful, be honest, be fearless.”
His visit aimed at cementing defence diplomacy through structured cooperation and shared training ethos also entailed discussions with Indian military brass.
During the four-day visit, Lt Gen Rodrigo held discussions with senior leadership of the Indian Army, including Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General N.S. Raja Subramani and GOC-in-C, South Western Command, Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh focusing on enhancing professional military cooperation, joint training, and regional security frameworks.
India and Sri Lanka conduct bilateral exercise "Mitra Shakti", the flagship Army-level counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism training initiative between the two nations. The 10th edition of the exercise was held in Sri Lanka in August 2024, and it continues to serve as a cornerstone for operational synergy and trust-building between the Armies.
At any given time, approximately 700 Sri Lankan Army personnel are undergoing training at various Indian Army establishments, making Sri Lanka Army the largest foreign participant in Indian military training programmes.
Source: IANS
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
This website uses cookies.
